Shoe-stretching machine



Mar. 13, 1923. 1,448,522.

1. P. COMER.

sHoE sT'RETcHlNG MACHINE.

FILED JAN-23, 1922- 3y .Bam-WMM Patente-d Mar. 13, 1923.

narra er maan y JOHN P. COMER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SHOE-STRETCHING- MACHINE.

Application filed January 23, 1922. Seri-al No. 531,011.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN P. COMER, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of GhiO, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in a Shoe-Stretching Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention pertains to improvements in shoe machines, and is particularly concerned with shoe stretching machines.

The general object of my invention is the provision of a shoe leather stretching machine adapted to act upon any selected' zone of the shoe leather surface in effecting the stretching of that zone by the action of cooperating rollers disposed interiorly and eX- teriorly of the shoe.`

Another object of my invention is the provision of a small, compact, durable machine wherein means are providedv for rolling the surfaces of the shoe leather under pressure, whereby the fibres of the leather are relatively displaced, to bring about a local stretching of. the leather.

Other objects will be hereinafter set forth in the following description given in connection with the accompanying drawings. The essential characteristics will be' summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1.is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine; while Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating the result obtained by subjecting a portion of the shoe leather to the stretching action of my device.i j

ln carrying out the purpose of my invention l have provided a' machineA whereina pair of rollers are arranged to act under pressure upon the shoe leather in such a manner as to squeeze the fibres of the leather and cause a relative displacement thereof. This rolling or lrneading of the leather being such as to replace the expedient heretofore resorted to which required the use of a stretching frame expanded interiorly of the shoe and upon which the leather was repeatedly pounded with a mallet.

A. preferred Vform of my invention'is illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein a standard', having an integral base 6, and van overhanging arm 7 is arranged to support an arbor 8 in an integral bearing 9 formed intermediate of the overhanging arm 7 and the base 6. The

arbor 8 is provided with an upwardly eX- tending U-shaped portion 8'DL which affords a grip for the hand in rocking the arbor as well as a clearance for the counter of the shoe.

Thearbor may have a counter weight 10 secured to the outer end thereof, a portion of which also serves as a collar to properly maintain the arbor in position on the standard 5. lAny suitable means, such as a nut 11 may serve to maintain the counter weight 10 on the cuter end of the arbor. i

The arbor is provided with a roller member 12 which is suitably mounted upon the end thereof. A second roller 13 is supported upon a pressure plunger 14 which is slid-y ably supported in a suitably formed bearing portion 71 of the arm 7,`and depends therefrom. An elevating lever 15 is swivelly mounted on the upper end of the member 14 and serves to raise the stem 14, and consequently the roller 13 away from the roller 12, when it is desired to place a shoe in the machine.

A heavy spring member 16 may be disposed between the under surface of the bearing portion of the arm 7 and a collar member 17 which is adjustably mounted on the lower portion of the stem 14. The collar member 17 may be adjusted alo-ng the stem 14 to vary'the compression of the spring 16.'

The roller 13 is rigidly positioned on a shaft 18 which is suitably mounted between the yoke portions 14a of the stem '14. i

The shaft `18 has an enlarged extension 18a which issuitably milled or lrnurled to afford firm gripping thereof by the fingers. whence the roll 13 maybe turned or oscillated` by the twisting or turning of the handle portion 18a." f

If it is desired to maintain the rollers with their axes in parallelism, any suitable means, such asia screw member 2O may be arranged to engage the stem 14 in asuitable slideway 21 formed in the upper portion thereof.

The operation of the device is as follows:

' roller consequently will press or yivhich thc roll lis rigidlymounted. r causes the shoe `leather to be passed back and upon the roll .112andu-the 'arborJ 8. The lever l may then be shifted to lower the plunger le under pressure of the spring 16, and the n pinch the shoe ,leather against the roll 12.*'-k

The shoe may be shifted inwardly or out: Wardly on the arbor stretch, vis positioned betv'veen ythe rollers. The leather may then be squeezed or pressed by 'a turningof the roll y13 throughthe finger portion l8aof the shaft member l8,upon This forth between the rolls and .eventually results inf ay squeezing and displacing yofthe fibres. which increases the area of the leather surface which isbeing rolled and aneffectis produced such as is substantially illustrated` Itl will be noted that the central. .portion 22 ofthe stretche`d section :of the leather is thinner.,` than the surrounding vcontiguous portions of `leather S23, This distortion of the leather f through the displacing-ofthe fibres is' readily and rapidly obtained w'vithfV out injuring the .general libre structure-of the Vportions of the leather beingstretehed;

' "The arrangement of the various parts A.of

mydevice'vvhile being offlthe simplest de-v sign, nevertheless are such that a small. comper.. g1' i. .Y j..

Ano-ther advantage to, be-attained byI the effectively produce a stretching of any pact,I stretching tool isprovidedwhich will desired portion of the leather in the shoe upuseofmy Air'iventionis the eliminati-on of the claim z;

bruised ,or 'marred .appearance of. the stretched leather surface Which has hereto.- fore, resulted' Whenthe exterior' surface of light, shoes, such, f for instance', as tan yor -br'owmhas beenstruck with a mallet.v Such treatment usually resulted .in a discolora-` tion of the surfaces `ofthe stretched portions oftheshoe, which discoloration I preventby rolling: or ironing the leather. 3' 1 1 f Having-thus 'described my invention, `I

` 1,. In ay device of the character described, the combinationofa pair 'of Vrolls for-,compressively acting on anyrportionofthe leather in aishoe upper,. and means for supporting said. 'rollsl in yieldable relation, including means for supporting one of the rolls interio-r'ly of ,a shoe; v .e

. 2. 'Inadevice of the character described, the.' combination of 'a pair of leather pressing rolls means; for; supporting fone of the. .rolls exterierly. of. a, shoe., and,v 'means .for supportingthefother of saidrolls interiorlyof. the slope and in juxtaposition to said first named 10 ll-z. y .1, yf .Q

aderente@ @hasta described.; the sommation 'Qi rail? *of 'tllsadaptedte exert pressurenterierly exterirly .oli

ing means for supporting one of said rolls interiorly of thev shoe, and 4means for supporting the other of said rolls in a compres- 4 sive relationto the first named roll. 8 until the zone of the leather y surface, which ,it iis ldesired., to

e.' Ina device of the character described, thecombination of apair of rolls adapted to exert pressure interiorly and eXteriorly on selected Vportions of the leather' in a shoe up- 3er,f. means lfor supporting one of said rolls interiorly Ao f the shoe, and means yfor rotatably., supportingthe other of said.. rolls 'in juxtaposition tothe first named roll.'V

. In a device of the character described,

' the combination of a plurality of rolls adapt# to'exert pressure on the leather inthe upper part of a shoe, lmeans lfor supportingone 'of the Vrolls interiorly of the shoe, and mea-ns for yieldably supporting the other of said .rolls exteriorly of the shoeand in compressive relation to'said first named roll.v

,6.. Ina device of the character described,

the combinationof a'fplurality of rolls adaptthe combinationofa pair'ofl rolls, movable means supporting one vof the. rolls, 'and means for supportingthe;other ofsaid rolls interiorly of .the'shoe whence the l'first named rollmaybemoved into juxtaposition tothe second,named.roll and exert pressure upon the. exteriory surface of van 'intervening portion of the shoe leather, While the other of said .rolls mayA exertpressure Von the inner surface of .said shoe leather. '8. lIn a device of the character a pair. of rolls, onev fof which is adapted to be disposed interiorly of a shoe andserve tov 'support'alportion f 'the shoe leather, While the other of said rollsexerts pressure on the exterior .surface ofthe shoe 'leather duringy a rotatable movement thereof.

-9. .In agdevice ofthe character described, apair of leather stretchingrollsrone' of Which is adapted to bedisposed interiorly of a shoeiand serve to-act onfthe interior surface Aofthe's'hoe leather, `While the other' .of said rolls. acts on the exterior surface of the shoe leather to displace the fibres of the leatherand vconsequently increase the area of @the leather'surfaces being acted upon.

' 10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of rolls, meansfor supportingl oneof thenrolls interiorly of a shoe, means. for pressing. the other of. said rolls on the exterior; .surface of` said shoe and 1.a,innervationtasaid 'rst named nellsand m'ns for rotating. the exteriorly disposed described,

lao

roll whereby the libres of the shoe leather passing between said rolls will be relatively displaced and the lea-ther stretched in consequence thereof.

11. In a shoe stretching machine, a pair of leather stretching rolls, one disposed interiorly of the shoe and the other resiliently supported exteriorly of the shoe in juxtaposition to said first named roll by movable means tending to decrease the space between said rolls.

12. In a shoe stretching machine the combination of a pair of rolls having their axes relatively movable, means for supporting one of said rolls interiorly of the shoe including a shoe support having an offset portion affording clearance for the shoe counter, and means for shifting the rolls toward and away from each other.

13. In a shoe stretching machine, the combination of a pair of relatively movable pressure rolls, means for supporting one of the rolls interiorly of the shoe, and means tending to decrease the distance between said rolls when acting on the shoe including anV arm rigid with the .base of the device, and a relatively movable member upon which the other of said rolls is mounted.

14. In a shoe stretching machine, thecombination of a pair of relatively movable rolls, means for supporting one of said rolls interiorly of the shoe including a shoe support having an offset portion affording clearance for the shoe counter, and a standard, said shoe suport being removablyy mounted on said standard.

15. In a shoe stretching machine, a pair of stretching rolls, one supported interiorly of the shoe and the other supported exteriorly of the shoe and in juxtaposition to said first named roll on movable means associated With resilient means tending to decrease the space between said rolls.

16. In a shoe stretching machine, the combination of a pair of rolls one being arranged to lie supported interiorly of the shoe by shoe supporting means, the other of said rolls being supported exteriorly of the shoe by movable means, a standard upon which said shoe supporting means and said roll moving means are supported, and resilient means reacting on the standard and` exerting pressure on said last named means.

17. In a shoe stretching machine, the combination of a pair of rolls one arranged to lie disposed interiorly of the shoe, while the other, may be disposed exteriorly of the shoe and in juxtaposition to said first-named roll, means for rigidly supporting said interiorly disposed roll, a spindle supporting the exteriorly disposed roll, and a spring therefor acting upon the spindle and means for adjustably varying the pressure exerted by said spring on said roll.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN P. COMER. 

